Immigration issue could be key in state primary

ELECTION 2010 Turnout of Latino voters may be key for candidates of both parties

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, June 3, 2010

Spanish-language ads on Facebook and radio that attack GOP gubernatorial front-runner Meg Whitman's immigration position began Wednesday in a preview of what may await her if she wins next week's primary election against state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.

At the same time, Democrats and their union-backed allies aren't waiting to hammer California's Republican Senate and gubernatorial nominees for taking the most conservative stances since former Gov. Pete Wilson led the charge for Proposition 187 during his 1994 re-election campaign.

Democrats see the issue as a way to rally Latino and liberal white voters that they need to win statewide elections. The California Nurses Association created Spanish-language ads that aired on the program of popular radio DJ Piolin Wednesday featuring Wilson endorsing Whitman.

"This rhetoric, of trying to appeal to very conservative voters, is galvanizing Latino voters," said Jesus Malverde, a Southern California representative for the nonpartisan Voto Latino, which is focused on increasing turnout.

Also helping stir emotions, Malverde said, is the Arizona law that requires police to stop any person who they have a "reasonable" suspicion is undocumented. However, a USC/Los Angeles Times poll found that 50 percent of California voters support the law.

Voter participation has increased as Latinos have migrated toward the Democratic Party since Prop. 187, which would have prohibited illegal immigrants from using social and health services and public schools in the state, was approved by voters but struck down by a federal judge.

Latinos are not sure-fire Democratic voters. Many of them are frustrated that the Obama administration has not carried out its promise to pass immigration reform, Malverde said, and some may not vote.

"You don't know where (Democratic gubernatorial candidate) Jerry Brown stands - on this or much of anything," said Louis DeSipio, a professor of political science at UC Irvine. Brown doesn't have a well-funded primary opponent and has barely campaigned.

Still, immigration resonates with many of the 22 percent of California's registered voters who are Latino. Immigration is an important issue to 78 percent of Latinos, according to a national poll last year by Bendixen and Amandi, a leading pollster of the Latino market.

That poll found that 72 percent wouldn't vote for a candidate who supported efforts to force most of the undocumented population to leave the country.

Immigration probably wouldn't have been much of an issue in the state's GOP primary if Poizner's campaign hadn't strategically staked out a hard-line position early, DeSipio said, to appeal to conservative primary voters. As governor, Poizner said, he would allow no benefits to undocumented immigrants in the state.

As Poizner repeated this position during his widespread TV advertising campaign, it became a dominant theme in the campaign, forcing the U.S. Senate primary candidates to assume more conservative stances, analysts said.

In describing the financial impact of immigration on the state, Whitman told an audience in Roseville (Sacramento County) last month that "30 percent" of state prisoners are undocumented.

While that line may play well with the conservative voters who dominate a GOP primary, only 11 percent of the state's prisoners are undocumented, said H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the state Department of Finance.

Whitman has brushed off suggestions that her immigration position may hurt her should she win on Tuesday. Polls show that voters rank immigration far below the economy and jobs as the issues that they are most concerned about.

"As we go forward in the general (election in November), I think Latinos will support my candidacy because of jobs and education," Whitman said last week.

-- Where the candidates for governor and U.S. Senate stand on services for illegal immigrants, citizenship. C6

Where the candidates stand on immigration

Would you support ending health and welfare benefits to children who are illegal immigrants?

Would you allow illegal immigrants to attend public universities in California?

Do you support allowing those in the U.S. illegally to register, pay taxes, and pay a fine in order to get on a path to citizenship?

Reality Check

Governor

Jerry Brown, Democrat

No

Yes

"I support comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level."

There is little detail or discussion on his positions regarding a crucial issue to the state's voters.

Steve Poizner, Republican

Yes. "The state should not provide taxpayer-funded benefits to any illegal immigrant." He also supports passage of a law to cut benefits to illegal immigrants.

"We must end in-state tuition for illegal immigrants."

He does not support any program that would allow those here illegally to remain in the country; he is opposed to any form of amnesty.

While accusing Whitman of flipping on the issues, he has flipped on amnesty since his 2004 run for state Assembly.

Meg Whitman, Republican

No. She does not support denying undocumented children health care benefits.

No. She supports policies to bar undocumented immigrants from admission to state-funded universities.

No reforms should be considered until the federal government adequately secures the U.S. border and employers have a reliable system for verifying status.

She flipped on amnesty and has greatly overstated the number of California inmates who are illegal immigrants.

No. She does not support denying emergency medicine or food to children, but says money is better used "to address the serious needs of our citizens."

No. But she supports allowing any U.S. citizen, legal resident or appropriately documented foreign student to attend public universities.

She does not support amnesty, saying "the federal government should fulfill its most fundamental responsibility and secure the border."

Calls to "secure the border" are common - but open-ended: When is the border really "secure?"

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